COMPRESSOR OIL PRESSURE CONTROL METHOD AND UNIT

Abstract

The present invention relates to the art of refrigeration and more particularly to a method of regulating the cooling process by controlling the oil pressure in a compressor. The system prevents the accumulation of the liquid refrigerant in the crankcase of the compressor. The system allows a compressor to continue to work without interruption.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to refrigeration systems in general, and more specifically to a method for controlling compressor oil pressure in these systems using different refrigerants that dissolve the lubricant.

[0003] 2. Background of the Prior Art

[0004] Oil is usually used to lubricate refrigeration compressors. The oil pressure of a compressor must be sufficient to support the minimal necessary amount of oil lubricant. If the oil pressure falls below a pressure necessary to support that minimal required amount of lubricant, the compressor can be damaged. That is why refrigeration systems have a special device to turn the compressor off when the pressure of the oil in the system reaches the minimum level. The oil from the compressor is evacuated with the refrigerant vapor. After the evaporation of the liquid refiigerant has taken place in the evaporator of the refrigeration system, the oil returns to the compressor either by refrigerant vapors or separately from the refiigerant.

[0005] In U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,685 by M. Taylor, issued Jul. 14, 1975, the oil returns to the compressor with the refrigerant vapors from the evaporator. In this case a certain amount of liquid refrigerant can enter the compressor along with the oil. This cannot be evaporated by the same method as in the evaporator. The oil pressure drops and a blocking device turns the compressor off. A certain amount of time and special preparations are required to restart the compressor again.

[0006] A similar situation is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,926 by Goldstein, et. al., issued on Dec. 30, 1986, which states that when the oil carrying liquid refrigerant separates from the vapor, the refrigerant moves to the compressor through a special thermal exchange heater. A significant amount of the refrigerant returns with the oil to the compressor due to the existing inertia of the system, which supports a temperature level of the mixture of the oil and the refrigerant. It leads to the same disadvantages of the system as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,685.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention relates to a method of controlling the oil pressure in a compressor in order to allow it to work without interruption. This can be accomplished by the use of the following method. Practice shows that the oil pressure changes stepwise when the liquid refrigerant is accessing into the compressor. At the beginning, the pressure does not drop significantly and stays higher then the allowed minimum. As the liquid refrigerant continues to enter the compressor, the oil pressure drops significantly and reaches a critically low level. When the oil along with the liquid refrigerant is prevented from entering the compressor immediately after the first drop of pressure, the oil pressure will be elevated. The elevation in pressure is due to the extraction of the excess amount of liquid refrigerant from the oil in the compressor. Thereafter, the compressor can continue to work without interruption.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic representation of the unit in which oil together with the liquid refrigerant is returned to the compressor.

[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic representation of an alternative embodiment of the unit where oil is returned to the compressor together with refrigerant vapor.

[0010] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic representation of an alternative embodiment of the unit where oil is returned to the compressor together with refrigerant vapor, with a controller placed on the line connected to a condenser and an evaporator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] Referring to FIG. 1, there is generally shown a unit consisting of a connected series of a compressor 1, a condenser 2, an evaporator 3, a suction accumulator 7 with inlet 5 connected to said evaporator 3 by line 4, and two outlets 6 and 9. Outlet 6 is connected to said compressor 1 by suction line 8 and outlet 9 is connected to said compressor 1 by return line 10. On said return line 10 a device 11 is installed to adjust an oil refrigerant liquid mixture. Said device 11 is connected electrically by line 12 to a regulator 13 with a set point adjuster 14 and to, said compressor 1 by line 15.

[0012] Refrigerant vapor compressed in the compressor 1 enters the condenser 2 where it becomes a liquid and enters the evaporator 3 where it is boiled. The refrigerant vapor containing oil enters the suction accumulator 7 through line 4 and then through inlet 5. The mixture is separated in said suction accumulator 7 into a vapor and a liquid part containing mainly oil and some liquid refrigerant. The mixture containing oil and liquid refrigerant is drawn to the compressor 1 from the suction accumulator 7 through outlet 9 by return line 10. When the initial part of this mixture, containing an excess of liquid refrigerant enters the compressor 1 the oil pressure immediately reduces to a level that is still above the minimal level allowed for the compressor 1 to work safely. Regulator 13 monitors the oil pressure value of the compressor 1 and compares this pressure value to that installed on the set-point adjuster 14. When this first reduction of oil pressure occurs, the controller 11 closes the line 10 and prevents the entrance of liquid oil-refrigerant mixture into the compressor 1. In a short period of time liquid refrigerant enters the compressor 1 and evaporates, the oil pressure increases, the regulator 13 opens the controller 11, and the oil continues to return to the compressor 1. This system provides an uninterrupted safe operation of the compressor.

[0013] In referring to FIG. 2, there is a unit consisting of a connected series of a compressor 1, a condenser 2, and an evaporator 3, which is connected to said compressor 1 by suction line 16. A controller 11 is installed on said suction line 16 to adjust the oil-refrigerant liquid mixture. Said controller 111 has an electrical connection by line 12 to a regulator 13 with a set-point adjuster 14 and a connection to said compressor 1 by line 15.

[0014] Refrigerant vapor become compressed in the compressor 1 and enters the condenser 2 where it becomes a liquid and enters the evaporator 3 where it is boiled. The refrigerant vapor containing oil is drawn to the compressor 1 by suction line 16. When the first part of this mixture, containing an excess of liquid refrigerant, enters the compressor 1 the oil pressure immediately reduces to a level, which is still above the minimal level allowed for the compressor 1 to work safely. The regulator 13 monitors the oil pressure value of the compressor 1, comparing this pressure value to the one established on the set-point adjuster 14. Controller 11 closes the line 16 when the target pressure is reached. This prevents the entrance of liquid oil-refrigerant mixture into the compressor 1. In a short period of time liquid refrigerant enters the compressor 1 and evaporates, the oil pressure increases, the regulator 13 opens the controller 11, and the oil continues to return to the compressor 1. This system provides an uninterrupted safe operation of the compressor.

[0015] FIG. 3 depicts a unit consisting of a connected series of a compressor 1, a condenser 2 connected to an evaporator 3 by line 17, respectively, and the evaporator 3 connected to said compressor 1 by suction line 16. A controller 11 is installed on said line 17 to adjust the oil-refrigerant liquid mixture. Said controller 11 has an electrical connection by line 12 to a regulator 13 with a set-point adjuster 14 and to said compressor 1 by line 15.

[0016] Refrigerant vapor compresses in the compressor 1 and enters the condenser 2 where it becomes a liquid and enters the evaporator 3 where it is boiled. The refrigerant vapor containing oil is drawn to the compressor 1 by suction line 16. When the first part of this mixture, containing an excess of liquid refrigerant, enters the compressor 1 the oil pressure immediately decreases to a level, which is still above the minimal level allowed for the compressor 1 to work safely. The regulator 13 monitors the oil pressure value of the compressor 1, comparing this pressure value to the one installed on the set-point adjuster 14, and closes the line 17 by means of controller 11. Controller 11 closes the line 16 when the target pressure is reached. This prevents the entrance of liquid oil-refrigerant mixture into the compressor 1. In a short period of time liquid refrigerant enters the compressor 1 and evaporates, the oil pressure increases, the regulator 13 opens the controller 11, and the oil continues to return to the compressor 1. This system provides an uninterrupted safe operation of the compressor. While this invention has been illustrated and described in accordance with the preferred embodiments, it is recognized that variations and changes may be made therein without departing from the invention as set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the compressor oil pressure in the unit consisting of a connected series, a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, a suction accumulator with an inlet connected to said evaporator with a line and two outlets. One of the outlets is connected to said compressor with a suction line and another is connected to said compressor by a return line. A controller is placed on the return line and a regulator with a set-point adjustment is connected to said compressor electrically. The said controller is designed to: feed refrigerant vapor into the compressor; compress the refrigerant vapor; transform the vapor into a liquid; boil liquid refrigerant in the evaporator; separate refrigerant vapor from the mixture with oil and liquid refrigerant; feed vapor refrigerant to the compressor; feed the oil-liquid refrigerant mixture to the compressor; monitor oil pressure in the compressor; compare the value of the oil pressure to an established target value; prevent the entrance of oil-liquid refrigerant mixture into the compressor if the value of the oil pressure in the compressor corresponds to a value installed on a set-point adjustment, allow the entrance of oil-liquid refrigerant into the compressor if the oil pressure in the compressor is more than the value installed on the set-point adjustment.

2. A method of controlling the compressor oil pressure in the unit consisting of a connected series, a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, connected to said compressor by a suction line, a controller placed on the suction line, and a regulator with a set-point adjustment connected to said compressor electrically. The controller is designed to: feed refrigerant vapor into the compressor; transform vapor into liquid; boil liquid refrigerant in the evaporator; feed vapor refrigerant to the compressor; monitor oil pressure in the compressor; compare the value of oil pressure to an established target value; prevent the entrance of oil-refrigerant vapor mixture into the compressor if the value of the oil pressure in the compressor corresponds to a value installed on a set-point adjustment; allow the entrance of oil-refrigerant vapor into the compressor if the oil pressure in the compressor is more than the value installed on a set-point adjustment.

3. A unit consisting of a connected series of a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, a suction accumulator with an inlet connected by a line to said evaporator, and two outlets. One of the outlets is connected to said compressor with a suction line and another is connected to said compressor by a return line. A controller is placed on the return line and a regulator with a set-point adjuster is connected to said compressor and electrically to said controller.

4. A unit consisting of a connected series of a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator connected to said compressor with a suction line, a controller placed on the suction line and a regulator with a set-point adjuster connected to said compressor and electrically connected to said controller.

5. A unit consisting of a connected series of a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator connected to said compressor with a suction line, a controller placed on the line connecting said condenser with said evaporator, and a regulator with a set-point adjuster connected to said compressor and electrically connected to said controller.